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Цитировать01.06.2011
SES-2 and Air Force Payload Complete Dynamics Test – on Track for August 2011 Launch[/size]

MCLEAN, VA - (June 1, 2011) - SES WORLD SKIES U.S. Government Solutions today announced that the Commercially Hosted Infrared Payload (CHIRP) and its host spacecraft, SES-2, has completed Dynamics Testing and is on schedule for launch in August of this year.

 The wide field-of-view sensor designed by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and the SES-2 satellite, built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, successfully completed the required acoustics and vibration testing.  These tests were conducted with the sensor fully integrated onto the spacecraft.  Several functional tests were performed following the dynamics testing, including actuation of various release mechanisms, electrical testing of the sensor, and a successful software code update that was executed from SAIC's Seal Beach, CA facility.

 The satellite and integrated government payload will complete a final environmental test in late June, and is on schedule for launch in August 2011.[/size]

ЦитироватьSES 1, 2, 3
 
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/18427.jpg)
SES 2 (with CHIRP experiment) [OSC]

Orbital Sciences Corporation announced in May 2007 that it has received an order from SES AMERICOM for as many as five new satellites over a multi-year period. Orbital stated that SES AMERICOM has placed a firm order for two new satellites, the first designated as AMC-5R and the second a ground spare that will be launched to another orbital location as a future replacement satellite.

Deliveries of the first two satellites are scheduled for mid- and late-2009, respectively. In addition to the two satellites that Orbital will immediately begin constructing, the contract gives SES AMERICOM the option to order up to three more identical satellites over the next few years.

The AMC-5R and the identical ground spare spacecraft will be hybrid satellites, each carrying 24 active C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders of 36 MHz capacity each. Some of the channels in each band will also be cross-strapped, enabling new service capability. Each spacecraft will generate approximately five kilowatts of payload power and will have two deployable reflectors.

SES AMERICOM announced in April 2008 the order of a third spacecraft under the multi-satellite contract both companies announced in May 2007. Under this contract, the earlier ordered ground spare will now become AMC-4R (originally designated AMC-1R), and a new ground spare will be produced for a future use.

Planned for launch in the second half of 2009 on a Zenit-3SLB, AMC-1R will have a permanent home in geosynchronous Earth orbit at 103 degrees West longitude. AMERICOM Government Services (AGS) announced in June 2008 that it has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Air Force to host an experimental sensor on board of AMC 5R. The primary purpose of the CHIRP (Commercially Hosted Infrared Payload) experiment is to test a new type of infrared sensor from geo-synchronous altitude. The passive infrared sensor will be integrated onto the AMC 1R satellite so that it can be launched into orbit and the data can then be transmitted to the ground for analysis.

In early 2010, the satellites were renamed from AMC 4R, AMC 5R and AMC ground spare to SES 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

SES 1 was configured for direct GEO insertion by omitting the apogee engine and the oxidizer.
Nation:    USA
Type / Application:    Communication
Operator:    SES Americom

ЦитироватьArabsat 5C[/size]
 
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/18428.jpg)
Arabsat 5C [Astrium]

ARABSAT has selected in January 2009 the consortium of Astrium and Thales Alenia Space to build and deliver in orbit the new satellite Arabsat 5C.

Arabsat-5C, a multi-mission satellite, will provide satellite capacity in both C-band and Ka-band frequencies at the Arabsat position 20°E for a wide range of satellite communications services. A Eurostar-3000 model equipped with a payload featuring 26 active transponders in C-band and 12 in Ka-band, Arabsat-5C will have a spacecraft power of 10kW at the end of its 15-year design lifetime.

Astrium and Thales Alenia Space are jointly responsible for building the satellites and delivering them in orbit. Astrium, the leading partner, will supply the Eurostar-3000 platforms and integrate the satellites. Thales Alenia Space will design and build the communications payloads. The team will also upgrade the ground control segment for the extended ARABSAT satellite fleet.
Nation:    Saudi Arabia
Type / Application:    Communication
Operator:    Arabsat
Contractors:    Astrium (prime), Thales Alenia Space (payload)
Equipment:    26 active C-band transponders, 12 active Ka-band transponders
Configuration:    Eurostar-3000
Propulsion:    ?
Power:    2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
Lifetime:    15 years
Orbit:    GEO[/size]

ЦитироватьAnother Ariane 5 is delivered to the Spaceport in French Guiana[/size]

June 10, 2011 – Ariane Flight VA204

Arianespace is keeping up its Ariane 5 mission pace with this week's arrival of components in French Guiana for the fifth heavy-lift vehicle to be launched from the Spaceport in 2011.

These Ariane 5 ECA elements were delivered by the MN Toucan, which is one of two roll-on/roll-off vessels used to transport launch vehicles from their production sites in Europe to French Guiana.

Arianespace is targeting a total of six Ariane 5 flights during 2011, with the initial three already performed this year having delivered a combined payload performance of nearly 37,000 kg.

Preparations are well advanced for the fourth Ariane 5 flight this year, with its satellite passengers – ASTRA 1N and BSAT-3c/JCSAT-110R – now undergoing their final processing in the Spaceport's S5 payload preparation facility. These two spacecraft will be orbited on another of the workhorse launcher's dual-payload missions, which is scheduled for July 1 from French Guiana.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/64137.jpg)
The MN Toucan heads to Pariacabo port near Kourou, French Guiana carrying elements for the fifth Ariane 5 to be launched this year.[/size]

ЦитироватьLate August     Ariane 5  •  Arabsat 5C & SES 2

ЦитироватьAs this Ariane 5 is readied for its rollout from the Final Assembly Building to the ELA-3 launch zone, another heavy-lift vehicle is beginning to take shape in the nearby Launcher Assembly Building.  It will be used for another dual payload of telecommunications satellites.[/size]

(http://www.arianespace.com/images/missionup-dates/2011/810-3.jpg)

ЦитироватьGot a notice from Arianespace that Arabsat 5C & SES 2 - Ariane 5 ECA (VA204)
should launch at the very beginning of September however they are looking at a few days delay on that timeframe (don't have exact dates, sorry)[/size]

ЦитироватьAriane Flight VA204
Launch date: September 9, 2011
Launcher version: Ariane 5 ECA
Payload(s): Arabsat 5C & SES 2

ЦитироватьСамолет Ан-124 доставил на европейский космодром Куру во Французской Гвиане спутник связи SES-2[/size]

10 августа, AVIA.RU – Транспортный самолет Ан-124 чартерным рейсов доставил на европейский космодром Куру во Французской Гвиане спутник связи SES-2, сообщает АРМС-ТАСС. Этот спутник является одной из двух полезных нагрузок, которые будут выведены на орбиту ракетой- носителем (РН) "Ариан-5" в следующем запуске этой ракеты.
 
Как сообщил европейский консорциум "Арианспейс", спутник доставлен из международного аэропорта Кайенн в Гвианский космический центр, в корпус по подготовке полезных нагрузок, где начались операции по его подготовке к запуску. Спутник построен американской компанией "Орбитал сайенсиз корпорейшн".
 
Спутник SES-2 построен на основе платформы усовершенствованного спутника Enhanced START 2.4 компании "Орбитал", оснащен 24 передатчиками диапазона C и 24 передатчиками диапазона Ku, и будет обслуживать регион Северной Америки.
 
Наряду с передатчиками связи на спутнике установлена коммерческая инфракрасная полезная нагрузка для ВВС США CHIRP (Commercially Hosted InfraRed Payload) в состав которой интегрирован датчик с широким полем обзора.
 
Масса спутника SES-2 при старте составит около 3152 кг, расчетный период нахождения на орбите 15 лет. На борту спутника будет генерироваться электроэнергия порядка 5 кВт.
 
Наряду со спутником SES-2 в отсеке полезной нагрузки «Ариан-5» будет также установлен спутник "Арабсат-5С" Организации спутниковой связи арабских стран "Арабсат".
 
Запуск спутников на орбиту ракетой-носителем "Ариан-5" планируется на 9 сентября.[/size]

ЦитироватьSES-2 arrives in French Guiana for Arianespace's fifth Ariane 5 mission of 2011[/size]

August 9, 2011 – Ariane Flight VA204

Payload preparations for Arianespace's next mission are now underway following the delivery of SES-2 – one of two telecommunications satellites to be lofted during the workhorse Ariane 5 launcher's fifth heavy-lift flight in 2011.

Built by the U.S.-based Orbital Sciences Corporation for SES WORLD SKIES, the SES-2 spacecraft arrived in French Guiana aboard a chartered An-124 cargo jetliner, and was transported from Cayenne's Rochambeau International Airport to the Spaceport's payload preparation facilities.

SES-2 is based on Orbital's Enhanced STAR™ 2.4 satellite bus and is a hybrid C- and Ku-band spacecraft that will serve North America.  

In addition to the 24 active C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders of 36 MHz capacity each for its relay duties, SES-2 also carries the Commercially Hosted InfraRed Payload (CHIRP) for the U.S. Air Force – which integrates a wide-field of view sensor in the satellite.

The SES-2 satellite will have a mass at liftoff of approximately 3,152 kg., and is to be orbited by Ariane 5 along with Arabsat-5C for the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat).  This mission is set for September 9.

(http://www.arianespace.com/images/missionup-dates/2011/829-lg.jpg)
SES-2 is designed for an operational mission lifetime of 15 years and will generate approximately five kilowatts of payload power[/size]

ЦитироватьArabsat-5C is welcomed in French Guiana for Arianespace's next Ariane 5 launch[/size]

August 9, 2011 – Ariane Flight VA204

The second of two passengers for Arianespace's upcoming Ariane 5 mission arrived in French Guiana this week, with the Arabsat-5C satellite now joining SES-2 – which was delivered to the Spaceport earlier in the month.

Arabsat-5C landed at Cayenne's Rochambeau International Airport aboard a chartered An-124 cargo jetliner, where the spacecraft was unloaded and readied for its transfer by road to the Spaceport near the city of Kourou.

This fifth-generation satellite for the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat) was built in a joint effort of EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space.  As the lead partner, Astrium supplied the Eurostar E3000 platform and integrated the satellite, while Thales Alenia Space designed and built the communications payload. This team also is upgrading the ground control segment for the extended Arabsat satellite fleet with the series of fifth-generation spacecraft.

Arabsat-5C is a multi-mission platform designed to provide capacity in both the C- and Ka-bands for a range of communications services from Arabsat's 20° E orbital position.  With its payload of 26 active transponders in C-band and 12 in Ka-band, Arabsat-5C will have a spacecraft power of 10kW at the end of its 15-year design lifetime.

Ariane 5's upcoming launch with Arabsat-5C and SES-2 is targeted for September 9, and will continue Arianespace's supply of commercial launch services for two long-time customers.  

Arianespace has a relationship that spans more than 25 years with the Saudi Arabia-based Arabsat telecommunications operator, dating back to the launch of its first satellite – Arabsat 1A – in 1985 on an Ariane 3 vehicle.  A total of seven Arabsat spacecraft have been lofted to date by Arianespace, including Arabsat-5A, which was orbited by an Ariane 5 in June 2010.

To date, the SES group has entrusted a total of 34 satellites to Arianespace for launch, of which its ASTRA 1N relay platform was orbited on the most recent Ariane 5 mission, performed last week.   For the upcoming Arianespace flight in September, the SES-2 spacecraft is based on Orbital's Enhanced STAR™ 2.4 bus and carries a hybrid C- and Ku-band payload that will serve North America, along with the CHIRP (Commercially Hosted InfraRed Payload) for the U.S. Air Force.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/64365.jpg)
Arabsat-5C is unloaded in its shipping container at Rochambeau International Airport after touching down aboard an An-124 cargo jetliner.
[/size]

ЦитироватьArabsat-5C is fueled for its upcoming Ariane 5 mission[/size]

August 22, 2011 – Ariane Flight VA204

The Arabsat-5C communications satellite has been fueled as preparations continue for the spacecraft's September 9 launch on Arianespace's next dual-passenger Ariane 5 flight from French Guiana.

This multi-mission satellite received its onboard propellant load in the Spaceport's S5 payload preparation building, readying Arabsat-5C for the upcoming integration in Ariane 5's payload "stack" along with co-passenger SES-2 for SES WORLD SKIES.

Arabsat-5C was built by EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space in a joint program for the satellite's assembly and in-orbit delivery.  As the lead partner, Astrium supplied the Eurostar E3000 platform, with responsibility for assembling and testing the spacecraft. Thales Alenia Space designed and built the communications payload, which integrates C-band and Ka-band transponders.

The spacecraft will have an estimated launch mass of 4,630 kg., and is to operate from an orbital position of 20 deg. East to provide a wide range of communications relay services for the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat).[/size]

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/64425.jpg)
The Arabsat-5C satellite is shown during its propellant fueling, which was performed in the S5B hall of the Spaceport's S5 payload preparation facility.

ЦитироватьThe fifth Ariane 5 of 2011 is ready for integration of its dual-satellite payload[/size]

August 24, 2011 – Ariane Flight VA204

Arianespace has taken delivery of the Ariane 5 ECA for its fifth heavy-lift mission of 2011 at the Spaceport in French Guiana, which will orbit the Arabsat-5C and SES-2 telecommunications satellites on September 9.

The vehicle's handover came with its transfer yesterday evening from the Spaceport's Launcher Integration Building – where it was assembled by prime contractor EADS Astrium, to the Final Assembly Building – providing Arianespace the responsibility for integration of the two payloads and launch operations for the Ariane 5.

Arabsat-5C will have an estimated launch mass of 4,630 kg., while SES-2 will weigh in at approximately 3,152 kg. for liftoff.

Built in a joint effort of Europe's EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space, Arabsat-5C is a fifth-generation satellite for the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat).   This multi-mission platform is designed to provide capacity in both the C- and Ka-bands for a range of communications services from Arabsat's 20 deg. East orbital position.

SES-2 was produced by the U.S.-based Orbital Sciences Corporation for SES WORLD SKIES, and is a hybrid C- and Ku-band spacecraft that will serve North America from an orbital slot of 87 deg. West.  Additionally, it carries the Commercially Hosted InfraRed Payload (CHIRP) for the U.S. Air Force – which integrates a wide-field of view sensor in the satellite.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/64434.jpg)
The Ariane 5 for Arianespace's upcoming heavy-lift mission with Arabsat-5C and SES-2 moves away from the Spaceport's Launcher Integration Building (at left) on its way to the Final Assembly Building.[/size]

ЦитироватьКУРУ, 23 августа. (АРМС-ТАСС). В Гвианском космическом центре по плану подготовки к запуску 9 сентября произведена заправка топливом многоцелевого спутника связи "Арабсат-5С". Спутник должен быть запущен на геостационарную орбиту ракетой-носителем "Ариан-5" вместе со вторым спутником SES-2.

Заправка спутника топливом произведена в корпусе подготовки полезной нагрузки S5 космодрома.

Спутник "Арабсат-5С" построен компаниями "EADS Астриум" и "Талес Алениа спейс" в рамках совместной программы постройки космического аппарата и его запуска на орбиту. Как головной исполнитель "Астриум" поставила платформу "Евростар Е3000", а также отвечает за сборку и испытание спутника. "Талес Алена спейс" спроектировала и построила аппаратуру связи, в которую вошли приемопередатчики диапазонов C и Ka.

Спутник имеет расчетную массу 4630 кг и предназначен для обеспечения связи в интересах Организации спутниковой связи арабских стран "Арабсат".[/size]

ЦитироватьКУРУ, 25 августа. (АРМС-ТАСС). Ракета-носитель "Ариан-5ECA" доставлена в Гвианский космический центр для подготовки к 5-му в этом году запуску, намеченному на 9 сентября. Ракета должна вывести на геостационарную орбиту двойную полезную нагрузку - спутники связи "Арабсат-5С" и SES-2.

Как сообщил корр.АРМС-ТАСС представитель компании "Арианспейс", которая будет осуществлять запуск, ракета-носитель доставлена из корпуса сборки РН в монтажно-испытательный корпус (МИК) космодрома.

Ракета выведет на орбиту спутник связи 5-го поколения "Арабсат-5С" массой 4630 кг и спутник связи SES-2 массой 3152 кг.[/size]

ЦитироватьPreparations for Arianespace's next Ariane 5 mission enter the payload integration phase[/size]

August 29, 2011 – Ariane Flight VA204

Payload integration for Arianespace's fifth Ariane 5 mission of 2011 has begun with installation of the Arabsat-5C satellite atop the SYLDA dual-payload dispenser system at the Spaceport in French Guiana.

Arabsat-5C will ride as the upper passenger in Ariane 5's payload "stack," being released first during the flight sequence.  Positioned on the canister-shaped dispenser, the Arabsat-5C/SYLDA combination is ready to be encapsulated in the Ariane 5's payload fairing, and then installed over the lower passenger – SES-2 – which will be mated atop the launcher's core section.

The installation of Arabsat-5C on its SYLDA structure occurred today inside the Spaceport's launch vehicle Final Assembly Building, with this activity performed in an assembly area adjacent to where the Ariane 5 is parked atop its mobile launch table.

Arabsat-5C is a multi-mission platform for the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat), and will provide capacity in both the C- and Ka-bands for a range of communications services.  It has a liftoff liftoff mass of approximately 4,630 kg., and will operate from Arabsat's 20 deg. East orbital position.

The satellite was produced in a joint effort of Europe's EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space.

Its SES-2 co-passenger for the Ariane 5 flight was built by Orbital Sciences Corporation of the U.S. for SES WORLD SKIES, and is a hybrid C- and Ku-band spacecraft that will serve North America from an orbital slot of 87 deg. West.  This platform has an estimated mass at liftoff of 3,152 kg., and it also carries the Commercially Hosted InfraRed Payload (CHIRP) for the U.S. Air Force – which integrates a wide-field of view sensor in the satellite.

Arianespace has scheduled the heavy-lift Ariane 5 flight with Arabsat-5C and SES-2 for September 9.[/size]

(http://www.arianespace.com/images/missionup-dates/2011/836-lg.jpg)
Arabsat-5C is shown after its installation atop the SYLDA dual-payload dispenser.

ЦитироватьAriane 5's upper payload completes its integration at the Spaceport[/size]

August 30, 2011 – Ariane Flight VA204

Integration of the upper portion of Ariane 5's dual-passenger "stack" has been completed, with the Arabsat-5C satellite and SYLDA dispenser system now encapsulated inside the launcher's payload fairing in preparation for the September 9 Arianespace mission from French Guiana.

This encapsulation occurred today at the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building, adjacent to where the Ariane 5 is waiting to receive Arabsat-5C and the mission's co-passenger, SES-2.

The integration process' next step will occur when SES-2 is positioned on the launcher's core section as the lower payload, allowing the "stack" to be completed with installation of the Arabsat-5C/SYLDA/fairing combination atop it.

During the flight sequence, the payload fairing will be jettisoned first, followed by deployment of Arabsat-5C.  The SYLDA dispenser is then released, allowing the subsequent separation of SES-2 to complete the Arianespace mission.

Ariane 5 is the launch services industry's workhorse vehicle of reference, with a demonstrated capability to perform efficient missions with dual satellite payloads.

For the upcoming flight, Arabsat-5C is the mission's larger payload, with an estimated liftoff mass of 4,630 kg.  SES-2 will weigh approximately 3,152 kg. at launch.

The multi-mission Arabsat-5C was built for the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat), and is to provide capacity in both the C- and Ka-bands for a range of communications services.  To be operated from Arabsat's 20 deg. East orbital position, this spacecraft was manufactured in a joint effort by two European companies: EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space.

SES-2 was produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation of the U.S., and is a hybrid C- and Ku-band spacecraft for SES WORLD SKIES that will serve North America from an orbital slot of 87 deg. West.  In addition to its communications relay duties, SES-2 is carrying the Commercially Hosted InfraRed Payload (CHIRP) for the U.S. Air Force – which integrates a wide-field of view sensor in the satellite.[/size]

(http://www.arianespace.com/images/missionup-dates/2011/837-lg.jpg)
Ariane 5's payload fairing is ready to be lowered over Arabsat-5C, which is mounted atop the SYLDA dispenser.

ЦитироватьAriane 5's upper stage engine will undergo additional checks prior to launch[/size]

August 31, 2011 – Ariane Flight VA204

Arianespace will announce a launch date for its upcoming dual-passenger mission following supplementary checks to be performed on the engine that powers Ariane 5's cryogenic upper stage.

These operations will take several days, and are being carried out to ensure the highest level of quality for the heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA – which is to orbit the Arabsat-5C and SES-2 telecommunications satellites.

The upcoming flight will be Arianespace's fifth Ariane 5 launch of 2011.[/size]

ЦитироватьArianespace Flight VA204: Ariane 5 ECA - Arabsat 5C - SES-2; Supplementary checks[/size]

Evry, August 31, 2011

Arianespace has decided to carry out supplementary checks on the engine powering the ESC-A cryogenic upper-stage in order to guarantee the highest level of quality of the Ariane 5 ECA launcher to be used on Flight VA204.

These operations will take a few days, after which the launch date of VA204 will be announced.[/size]

ЦитироватьDue to extra checks and mitigation procedures of the turbo pump, the new date is now the 17th, pending confirmation by Arianespace

ЦитироватьTalked to one of the orbital guys, they seem to be tracking to 19th now for launch
unconfirmed by Arianespace currently

ЦитироватьHosted Payload Hailed For New Business Model[/size]
Sep 13, 2011
 
By Amy Butler

Though U.S. Air Force officials are hailing the forthcoming launch of a military payload hosted on a commercial satellite, funding could be an obstacle to a future Pentagon satellite infrastructure that relies heavily on hosted payloads for service.

SES-2 is slated to launch Sept. 17 on an Ariane 5 rocket. The satellite, made by Orbital Sciences Corp., will carry the Commercially Hosted Infrared Payload (Chirp) made by Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC).

The project is a "hallmark of cooperation and opportunity" that brought together an "incredible combination of different interests," says Douglas Loverro, executive director of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC).

The payload includes one of four infrared telescopes designed by SAIC under an Air Force program started in the middle of the decade to find an alternative in the event that the performance of Space-Based Infrared System (Sbirs) prime contractor Lockheed Martin continued to disappoint, threatening to expose a gap in ballistic missile warning.

The government opted to use one of the 2,000 X 2,000-pixel wide-field-of-view staring infrared arrays for experimentation. The concept emerged through a proposal from SES, Orbital (the satellite manufacturer) and SAIC.

In total, the government spent about $216 million developing the sensors, readying the payload and integrating it onto the satellite, Loverro says. Originally, the sensor piece of the project was slated to cost $65 million. That changed to about $82.5 million owing to a one-year delay in the project, says Lt. Col. William McGuffey, director of SMC's space projects division.

Tip Osterthaler, president and CEO of SES Government Solutions, says Chirp is expected to reach orbit at about 15% of the typical cost for a government payload to be lofted.

Loverro, however, notes that while qualified for space operations, the Chirp payload is not designed to meet the rigorous demands of nuclear hardening and integrated threat-warning and attack-assessment certification required for the Sbirs satellites.

However, with the cost of the first Sbirs and Advanced Extremely High-Frequency satellites at well more than $1 billion, Loverro says he is exploring constellations that provide an alternative to simply buying more of these large spacecraft. AEHF is designed to provide jam-proof communications, including traffic to nuclear forces in the event of a nuclear war.

Loverro suggests, for example, that alternative Sbirs and AEHF fleets could reserve the nuclear-hardened portions of the mission for the basic spacecraft, with hosted payloads providing augmenting data. Both of these missions require hardware in the geosynchronous belt, where many commercial spacecraft operate.

The question, however, is if this alternative approach will prove to be less costly. "If you can't develop an architecture where the hosted payloads don't decrease the cost of the rest of the architecture, then they really can't earn their way onto the plate," Loverro says.

He says he still has a year of work to do to refine these alternative architecture concepts.

In the meantime, Air Force officials will experiment with Chirp. Initially, the satellite will be inserted at 77 deg. West and eventually shift to 87 deg. West, its final operational slot. The Air Force plans to experiment with Chirp for just more than nine months. The orbital location is situated to provide coverage of infrared events on the West Coast of the U.S. as well as at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.[/size]

ЦитироватьLaunch date: September 20, 2011

ЦитироватьLaunch window for Ariane Flight VA204
Universal time (GMT)  
From 9:38 p.m. to 11:02 p.m. on September 20

ЦитироватьThe Ariane 5 flight with Arabsat-5C and SES-2 is set for September 20[/size]

September 13, 2011 – Ariane Flight VA204

Arianespace's fifth Ariane 5 mission of 2011 is now scheduled for September 20, marking the wrap-up of this year's flight activity with the heavy-lift launcher from French Guiana.

Payload integration has been completed as both the Arabsat-5C and SES-2 satellites are now installed atop Ariane 5, creating the launch vehicle's dual payload "stack." Arabsat-5C is riding as the upper passenger, positioned over the SES-2 in the lower slot.

The flight had been delayed for supplementary checks on the engine that powers Ariane 5's cryogenic upper stage, which were performed as part of Arianespace's commitment to quality and reliability.

"As we do not tolerate any defect on our launchers, there was no hesitation on our part in delaying this upcoming flight to ensure the highest level of quality for a successful mission," said Arianespace Chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall. "With the launch sector's 'devastation' caused by mission failures of other vehicles, Ariane 5 stands out with its track record of 45 consecutive successes."

Arabsat-5C will serve as a multi-mission platform for the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat), providing capacity in both the C- and Ka-bands for a range of communications services.  Built in a joint effort of Europe's EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space, it has a liftoff mass of approximately 4,630 kg. and will operate from Arabsat's 20 deg. East orbital position.

The SES-2 spacecraft is to be utilized by SES WORLD SKIES from an orbital slot of 87 deg. West.   This Orbital Sciences Corp.-built hybrid C- and Ku-band spacecraft has an estimated mass at liftoff of 3,152 kg., and will serve North America.  It also carries the Commercially Hosted InfraRed Payload (CHIRP) for the U.S. Air Force – which integrates a wide-field of view sensor in the satellite.

(http://www.arianespace.com/images/missionup-dates/2011/840-lg.jpg)
The payload fairing containing Arabsat-5C is lowered into position over SES-2 to complete the dual-passenger "stack" atop Ariane 5. This activity took place in the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building, marking one of the final preparation steps for Arianespace's September 20 mission.[/size]

ЦитироватьIt's a "go" for Arianespace's Ariane 5 dual-payload mission with Arabsat-5C and SES-2[/size]

September 18, 2011 – Ariane Flight VA204

Today's launch readiness review for Arianespace's fifth Ariane 5 launch of 2011 has given the green light for its September 20 liftoff on a mission that will orbit the Arabsat-5C and SES-2 satellites from the Spaceport in French Guiana.

The review confirmed the heavy-lift Ariane 5's "go" status, along with the readiness of its dual-passenger payload, the launch infrastructure at the Spaceport, and the network of tracking stations that will follow the flight.

This clears the way for Ariane 5's rollout tomorrow, readying the vehicle for its liftoff from French Guiana on Tuesday, September 20, during a launch window that opens at 6:38 p.m. and continues to 8:02 p.m. local time.[/size]

ЦитироватьПАРИЖ, 20 сен - РИА Новости. Намеченный на среду запуск ракеты-носителя Ariane-5 с экваториального космодрома Куру во Французской Гвиане переносится из-за акции протеста, сообщил РИА Новости официальный представитель концерна Arianespace Марио де Лепин.

Как сообщает агентство Франс Пресс со ссылкой на Национальный центр научных исследований, перенос связан с забастовкой компании Telezpazio, которая обслуживает радары.

"Я подтверждаю перенос запуска по социальным причинам", - сказал де Лепин, который в настоящий момент находится во Французской Гвиане.

Он не уточнил требования работников и сроки, на которые переносится запуск, сообщив, что Arianespace готовит коммюнике по этому поводу.

Ракета-носитель Ariane-5 должна была вывести на орбиту спутники связи Arabsat-5C и SES-2.

На 20 октября намечен первый запуск с космодрома Куру российской ракеты-носителя "Союз СТ-Б".

ЦитироватьArianespace Flight VA204: Ariane 5 ECA - ARABSAT 5C - SES-2 Launch slated on the night of 21 September[/size]

Kourou, September 21, 2011

Since the facilities at the Guiana Space Center are now available, Arianespace has decided to restart the launch chronology of Arianespace Flight VA204.

Flight VA204 will place into geostationary transfer orbit the telecommunications satellites ARABSAT 5C and SES-2.

Liftoff of the Ariane 5 ECA launcher is set for the night of Wednesday, September 21, as early as possible in the following launch window:

 From 6:38 p.m. to 8:02 p.m., local time in Kourou, French Guiana
 From 5:38 p.m. to 7:02 p.m. in Washington D.C.
 From 9:38 p.m. to 11:02 p.m. UTC, on Wednesday, September 21
 From 11:38 p.m. to 01:02 a.m. in Paris, during the night of Wednesday, September 21 to Thursday, September 22
 From 00:38 a.m. to 02:02 a.m. in Riyadh on Thursday, September 22.[/size]

ЦитироватьArianespace's fifth Ariane 5 mission of 2011 is set for launch tonight[/size]

September 21, 2011 – Ariane Flight VA204

Following a one-day delay, Arianespace's Ariane 5 launch with the Arabsat-5C and SES-2 telecommunications satellites is scheduled for liftoff tonight.

This fifth heavy-lift mission of 2011 will have a total payload performance of approximately 8,975 kg., of which 7,830 kg. is the combined mass for the two satellite passengers to be deployed into geostationary transfer orbits.

SES-2 will join the fleet of European satellite telecommunications operator SES, and is to be positioned at 87 deg. West for coverage over North America and the Caribbean.  Manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation of the U.S., the spacecraft carries 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders.  Included on the SES-2 platform is the Commercially Hosted Infrared Payload (CHIRP) sensor for the U.S. Air Force – which integrates a wide-field of view sensor.

The multi-mission Arabsat-5C platform to be lofted on tonight's Ariane 5 mission was developed for the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat) to deliver capacity in both the C- and Ka-bands for a range of communications services.  It was produced in a joint effort by Europe's EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space, and will be positioned at Arabsat's 20 deg. East orbital location.[/size]

ЦитироватьУ них что, анимация на реальное изображение наложена?

ЦитироватьSeptember 21, 2011 – Ariane Flight VA204

Telecommunications satellites for two key Arianespace customers were launched tonight on the company's fifth Ariane 5 flight of 2011, extending the heavy-lift workhorse's string of consecutive successes to 46.

Delivering a total payload lift performance of approximately 8,975 kg., the mission lofted Arabsat-5C for the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat) and SES-2, which will be utilized by Europe's SES.

Arabsat-5C was deployed first, separating from Ariane 5 at 27 minutes after liftoff, followed eight minutes later by SES-2.

"Arabsat decided several years ago to entrust us with the launch of all its satellites, and the successful orbiting of this eighth satellite demonstrates that my friend, Khalid Balkheyour, Arabsat's President and CEO, was right to place his confidence in us," said Arianespace Chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall.  "Because of his wise choice, Arabsat has become one of the world's leading operators – and I congratulate it for this superb success."

Once positioned at Arabsat's 20 deg. East orbital location, Arabsat-5C will deliver capacity in both the C- and Ka-bands for a range of communications services. The spacecraft was manufactured in a joint effort by Europe's EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space.

The SES-2 passenger for tonight's mission was the 35th SES satellite launched by an Ariane vehicle, and is equipped with 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders.  It will replace SES' AMC-3 spacecraft at 87 deg. West, providing coverage for North America and the Caribbean.  Also integrated aboard SES-2 is the Commercially Hosted Infrared Payload (CHIRP) sensor for the U.S. Air Force – which integrates a wide-field of view sensor for testing by the military service.

"We are particularly proud of the loyalty that SES has demonstrated since more than 20 years, and I wish to particularly thank Tip Osterthaler, the President and CEO of SES WORLD SKIES U.S. Government Solutions," Le Gall said.  "I also want to thank our friends at the U.S. Air Force, because together, we have opened a new chapter for the space industry tonight in launching CHIRP on SES-2 as the initial military payload on a civilian satellite.  Arianespace is honored to once again be part of a world's first!"

After tonight's success, Arianespace is to follow with another historic milestone: the maiden liftoff of Soyuz from French Guiana, scheduled for October 20.  The Russian-built medium-lift vehicle will orbit two Galileo spacecraft for Europe's satellite-based navigation system.

The next Ariane 5 flight is planned for early 2012, performing its third mission to loft a European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) for servicing of the International Space Station.

    * Additional information on today's launch is available in the Press release.
    * See the Arianespace launch kit for further details.

ЦитироватьКУРУ, Французская Гвиана, 22 сентября. (АРМС-ТАСС). Консорциум "Арианспейс" сегодня ночью осуществил успешный запуск тяжелой ракеты-носителя "Ариан-5" с двумя спутниками связи. Запуск стал 60-м по счету и 46-м успешным запуском  [подряд]  в программе "Ариан-5" и ее 5-м пуском в текущем году. На геопереходную орбиту выведена полезная нагрузка суммарной массой 8975 кг, в составе которой спутники связи "Арабсат-5С" и SES-2. Об этом корр.АРМС-ТАСС сообщили в компании "Арианспейс".

Первым из отсека полезной нагрузки ракеты на 27-й минуте полета был выведен спутник "Арабсат-5С", а еще через 8 минут - спутник SES-2.

Спутник "Арабсат-5С" займет на геостационарной орбите точку стояния 20 град. восточной долготы, а спутник SES-2 - точку стояния 87 град. западной долготы.

SES-2 заменит в своей точке стояния предыдущий спутник AMC-3 компании SES. На борту этого спутника в качестве дополнительной аппаратуры установлен коммерческий инфракрасный датчик CHIRP (commercially hosted infrared payload) ВВС США для проведения орбитальных испытаний.

Верхняя криогенная ступень ракеты вышла на траекторию со следующими параметрами: высота в перигее 249,7 км (расчетное значение 249,7 км), высота в апогее 35957 км (расчетное значение 35954 км), наклонение 1,99 град. (расчетное значение 2 град.).

Следующий запуск с космодрома в Куру должен состояться 20 октября, когда будет осуществлен запуск российской ракеты-носителя "Союз" с двумя навигационными спутниками "Галилео".

Следующий запуск ракеты-носителя "Ариан-5" состоится в начале 2012 года, когда будет запущен на орбиту третий европейский автоматический грузовой корабль ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) для снабжения международной космической станции.

ЦитироватьКА SES-2 будет расположен на геостационарной орбите в точке 87 градусов западной долготы и заменит КА AMC 3, запущенный ракетой Atlas 2A в сентябре 1997 года.

На спутнике также размещена инфракрасная полезная нагрузка ВВС США CHIRP, предназначенная для испытания технологий оповещения о ракетном нападении с геостационарной орбиты.

ЦитироватьThu, 3 November, 2011
Hosted Infrared Sensor Completes Initial On-orbit Testing[/size]
By Warren Ferster

    A technician readies the U.S. Air Force's Commercial Hosted Infrared Payload sensor that will fly aboard the SES-2 satellite. Credit: SES Worldskies photo
        A technician readies the U.S. Air Force's Commercial Hosted Infrared Payload sensor that will fly aboard the SES-2 satellite. Credit: SES Worldskies photo Enlarge Image

    WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force on Nov. 3 announced the successful completion of initial on-orbit testing of an experimental missile warning sensor aboard a commercial communications satellite, but said nothing about a planned early demonstration in which the sensor was to observe the launch of a NASA weather and climate research satellite.

    The Commercially Hosted Infrared Payload, or CHIRP, was launched Sept. 21 aboard the SES-2 commercial telecommunications satellite owned by SES of Luxembourg. The Air Force paid SES to host the sensor, which was built by McLean, Va.-based SAIC and integrated with the SES-2 satellite by manufacturer Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va.

    Originally designed as part of an effort to examine potential alternatives to the Space Based Infrared System of missile warning satellites, CHIRP was expected to undergo an early test by attempting to observe the Oct. 28 launch of NASA's NPP satellite aboard a Delta 2 rocket. The sensor is designed to detect the fiery plume of a rocket or missile during launch.

    The NPP launch went off as planned, but was not mentioned in the Air Force press release, which said only that CHIRP had successfully completed initial in-orbit testing. "Initial on-orbit testing included the actions necessary to initialize the CHIRP payload and complete functional check out. The payload is performing nominally and providing valuable on-orbit performance data to guide development of future wide field-of-view infrared sensors and associated technology," the press release said.

    According to an industry source, the CHIRP sensor was active and in position to observe the NPP launch when it took place during the early morning hours from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. But classification restrictions prevented the disclosure of any information regarding the planned test, said the source, who as a result could not even confirm whether it had taken place.[/size]

ЦитироватьWASHINGTON — Hoping to build on the success of its pioneering project that saw an experimental missile warning sensor launched last year aboard a commercial telecommunications satellite, the U.S. Air Force is requesting funding in 2013 for a follow-on mission, according to a service official.

"We are right now in the midst of planning a follow-on to CHIRP," said Doug Loverro, executive director of Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles. "Obviously, there are still many budget wickets to jump through in order to go ahead and make sure that is agreed to throughout the government process. ... Some initial work has already been started by our program office and some initial interactions with the commercial industry."

CHIRP, or Commercially Hosted Infrared Payload, was launched Sept. 21 aboard the SES-2 communications satellite operated by Luxembourg-based SES. The satellite was built by Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va., while the sensor was supplied by SAIC of McLean, Va.

The Air Force-owned sensor is performing well on orbit and has observed multiple launches to date, Loverro said during a recent two-part CHIRP panel discussion moderated by Space News and sponsored by SES Government Solutions of McLean.

Loverro said funding for the follow-on mission is included in the Air Force's Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Space Modernization Initiative account, but could not provide a specific number. SBIRS is the Air Force's primary missile warning system, the first dedicated satellite for which was launched last May and is still undergoing testing, with formal operational certification expected this year.

The Air Force's $83.2 million request for SBIRS modernization next year includes $12.6 million for hosted payloads and $7.4 million for a wide-field-of-view sensor testbed, according to budget justification documents released in February. CHIRP is a wide-field-of-view staring sensor designed to detect and track the heat signature of missiles as they lift off.

Loverro said the CHIRP follow-on mission, if approved, would be an "operational demo" of a sensor specifically designed to operate in space. The CHIRP payload now on orbit was conceived several years ago as a ground-based testbed for a possible early replacement for SBIRS, a program that at the time was struggling mightily with cost overruns and delays.

Funding for the so-called Alternate Infrared Satellite System dried up after SBIRS prime contractor Lockheed Martin Space Systems convinced Air Force officials that it had gotten the notoriously troubled program back on track. But the Air Force continued to fund work on the SAIC sensor, opting to use it as a pathfinder for hosting government payloads aboard commercial spacecraft.

Thomas Taverney, senior vice president SAIC, said the specifics of the CHIRP follow-on mission are not entirely clear at this point. "They have previously discussed what they call a CHIRP Replenishment, or CHIRP+, which would potentially take the current design from a technical demo to an operational demo," Taverney said in a follow-up to the panel discussion. "They talked about sensors that cost less than $40 million and that could be built in less than 36 months."

While the current CHIRP experiment is focused on the strategic missile warning mission, the follow-on might entail the "full spectrum" of overhead persistent infrared sensor applications, including "monitoring static targets, characterizing transient events and assisting with environmental monitoring," Taverney said.

Air Force and industry officials have raised the possibility of using infrared sensors aboard commercial satellites to take on the tactical missile warning mission. The hosted payload approach is not feasible for strategic missile warning because commercial satellites are not hardened to withstand the effects of a nuclear blast, according to Loverro.

"It is logical to disaggregate the strategic warning mission from the tactical missile warning, battlespace awareness and theater intelligence missions," Taverney said. These missions, he added, lend themselves to a wide-field-of-view staring sensor that maintains constant surveillance of large areas yet can pick up relatively dim infrared signatures.

During the panel discussion, Taverney said CHIRP weighs a lot less than comparable sensors because there are not a lot of moving parts, outside of a focus wheel and filter wheel. Analysts can also add and subtract frames for low-light events, which provides a lot of flexibility, he said.

"I think we can say at this point that we have kind of proven all of the great features we thought that a staring system would have," Taverney said during the panel discussion. "It has all of those features. The data looks very good."